Uncaged

Aragorn walked down the hall, after leaving his office.  He was deeply troubled by the night before.  He could not understand Éowyn any more.  She was the Shieldmaiden again.  A figure of porcelain, as beautiful as the spring, but with a heart filled with such a chill.  He knew he would not be able to save her heart when he brought her from the shadow to life.  From the beginning, she had made it obvious he held her heart.  It pained him to see the hope in her eyes, when the one he loved, so far away, had a different hope in her heart.  Through it all, The fair Lady of Imladris had left with her father, taking the last shred of his broken heart with her.  When he looked at Éowyn's eyes, filled with such devotion, he had hoped that would help mend his heart.

Instead, he found that they both went deeper and deeper into a darkness that only those who had loved and lost knew.  He had loved Arwen and lost her.  Éowyn had loved him, or had he been mistaken?  Deeply, Aragorn felt as though she never really had loved him.  Her eyes were empty to him.  Her heart bare.  It had been filled once, he knew.  He knew she was capable of more feeling, as she had felt a glimpse of it when she met him.

The only thing he could conclude…was that she had loved and lost another.

"She is not going to Rohan?" A woman's voice reached his ears from another room. It was answered by what he recognized as the voice of one of his advisors, Rassener.
"Not while she is with a new child."

"With child!  I was wondering why the Steward did not leave for Ithilien!"

"Andreth!  Why do you insist on keeping the rumors alive?"

Aragorn felt himself freeze in his steps.  He felt his heart would burst.  It was cold as ice, but pumping so fast.

"Oh, everyone already knows that the Prince is in love with the Queen."

"But to tarnish her reputation-!"

"She does it on her own.  She leaves her sweet little boy with me, the one who actually comes from a line of kings, to run out to the garden with the Steward!  Who knows what they do together!"

Aragorn could not handle another second worth of this talk.  He quickly, in a loud voice, called out Andreth's name.

After much scuffling, Andreth quickly appeared in the hallway.

"You called, m'Lord?"  She bowed hastily.

Aragorn steeled himself against his own thoughts.

"Have I not made it clear that the Queen of Gondor's name is to be spoken of only in the highest regard?"

Andreth's face flushed.  "You did, m'Lord."

He looked at Andreth for a long time.  He sighed.  "I understand that you do not like the Queen."

"I believe she treats neither your nor your son in the manner you both deserve."

"Does that mean you should slander her?"

"No, m'Lord."

His eyes narrowed at her.  She could not bring her face to look at his. "I will hear no more of your gossip.  Do not let me ever hear it again."

"Yes, m'Lord."  She started to walk away from him, quickly as possible.

"Andreth."

Andreth turned to him, his face stern, no remorse to be seen.

"You do not walk away from the King when is talking to you."

"Yes, m'Lord."  She said meekly.  Aragorn almost felt a sense of satisfaction.  Someone had to feel his pain somehow.

***

Éowyn woke the next morning, startled out of her sleep, by what, she did not know.  Sweet was sticky across her face, her breathing heavy.  What had stirred her from her sleep?  What caused her body to be so scared?

She heard movement from the doorway.  Figuring that Andreth had heard her awake, she shifted in her bed, feeling all the weight on her side.  She sighed, knowing that Aragorn was gone.  Gone to a memory of love he longed for.  Now she had time to be with the love she longed for.

"Andreth, I will bathe this morning, and then would like to brunch with the Lord Faramir, as I do not have the King's company."  A soft smile came to her face as she said his name.

"I doubt the King's absence would keep you from wanting to see Prince Faramir."  The voice said calmly.  Éowyn sat up quickly, wheeling around, shock on her face.

"Elessar!  I thought you were in Rivendell!"  He wasn't even looking at her.  His face was stern, cold, his eyes looking past her, at the King's office he had always known was out the window.  Éowyn felt touched by the coldness, felt bare and naked to look at.  She tightened her covers around herself, hugging them to her chest.

"I was supposed to be.  As much as you would wish I were."

She felt her breath give way in her chest.  "As much as I wish?"  Funny, as now it was true.  "I have always only wanted you to be here!  With me!"

"Maybe once you did!  No longer."

"I do not know what you are talking about, Elessar."  Eowyn's use of his formal name cut him like a knife for the first time."

"I have heard things, m'Lady.  I have heard from several people…disturbing rumors concerning you and Lord Faramir."  She knew he was trying to be strong.  She couldn't hear his voice falter, but she could feel it.

She couldn't help but allow a small laugh, knowing that he did not have as much power over her as he thought.  "I am the Queen, Elessar," she know felt as though she were talking to a small child.  That is how she now saw Aragorn, standing there, trying to hold onto his last dignity, so intent on finding the truth, even if it hurt him.  She almost felt like goading him.  "Of course there will be rumors about me!  The courtiers are going to try and find as much to slander about me as possible!  I am a Shieldmaiden of Rohan, and they are the proper nobility of Gondor!  Faramir is the first person they thought of!  He is the most obvious!"

His eyes finally turned to hers.  They gave away his weakness.  "I do not want to leave angry with you, Éowyn."

She looked down at her bed, the sheets were in waves, and Éowyn wanted to be lost in them.  No, she couldn't let herself drown.  Aragorn was not going to get the best of her!  "Do you want me to admit to some awful scandal?  Is that what would make you happy?  For me to say, 'Yes, Elessar, I let the Steward into our bed, the one that you and I rarely share.  Oh, and by the way, he is the father of this baby.'  Is that what you wish to hear from me?"

"I only wish for the truth."

"The truth you want to hear.  I refuse to meet you at your level, Elessar.  I conduct myself in an appropriate manner as the Queen of Gondor.  Furthermore, I have nothing else to say to you on this matter."  She got out of bed, walked right past him.  As she passed him, he grabbed her arm.  She stopped, turning her eyes, stern as steel towards his face, angry more with himself than her.

"I will not have my Queen walk away from me in this manner."  She heard the rise in his voice.  He was failing to keep his façade, his pride cracking.  She was witnessing the fall of the man trying to be the king.

Without breaking herself, she coolly replied.  "If you will let go of me, Aragorn, I have to meet the Steward for brunch."  The way she said his name made him realize the lack of power he had with her.  He knew she no longer saw him as her king.  The shock made him drop his hand from her arm.  She only walked away.

He could not let her walk away.

***

It took seven months for the rumors to die away, and by then, Éowyn was fully pregnant, at nearly a month until birth.  She had to spend less and less time with Faramir, but they knew it had to happen.  Faramir smiled a greeting at her during a day at Court, and Éowyn knew that when they were together, it would be all the more wonderful.

Aragorn had backed away from his accusations, knowing that the stress was not good for the baby.  At that point, he put aside the fear the baby was to be a Steward, and wanted the child to grow healthy, as the nobles needed to see this child as the child of a king.  That was the one thing Éowyn felt she could be grateful about, that Aragorn backed off, and wanted the baby to be happy.  She was growing more worried everyday though, as she was becoming more and more full with her pregnancy, and yet, the baby had not moved.  Faramir knew something was wrong, as he always did, and he knew it had nothing to do with him or Aragorn.  He saw the weariness in her face, the tiredness in her smile.  She was growing as weak as she was strong.  He could not bear it for much longer.

After he had given a toast to the King, for having another successful year in his reign, he quietly stepped to the back, watching the courtiers laugh, dance, and sing.  He wondered at how his own legs moved, as he found himself standing in back of the Queen.

"Éowyn, I know something is wrong.  If you do not tell me, I shall be sick with worry."

She sighed.  "Are you the only who has to be sick over my state?"

He looked at her for a while.  "What is the matter with our child?"  Éowyn closed her eyes.  She was warmed by his statement.  He had to be a father in hiding.  That made no difference to him.  His hand slowly, gently brushed against hers, and cold hand touching his warm one.  It reminded her of when their hands met at the house of healing.  He did not know if she had noticed this.  She had, and it scared her then.  It scared her a little now, but mostly comforted her.

"I can't get anything past you, can I?"  She smiled weakly.  His expression did not change from one of concern.

"Éowyn," was all he said.  Éowyn was all he had to say.  She wanted to throw herself into his arms.  She wanted the rest of the world to go away.

All she could do was shudder.  "The baby has yet to move."  Her voice cracked under her weight.  She swallowed.  She would not loose her composure there.  Not now, not ever.

He closed his eyes.  "I never moved either."

She turned her head to his.  She did not expect that kind of compassion.  Yet, it was exactly what she needed.  "The baby will move for you, Faramir."

He looked at her for a minute.  His face registered fear.  He knew exactly what she intended.

"Not here, Éowyn."

She shook her head.  No, not here.  She did not understand how it happened, her mind filled with great emotion.  They were in a room, and he had his arms around her.  She buried her face in his shoulder.  She finally let herself free.

"Faramir!  I was so scared!  I thought surely there must be something wrong!  And E-Elessar, he puts up this façade in front of everyone.  Nothing should ever happen to the Queen and her child!  No, everything must always be perfect!  We must have the perfect little life, I have to be the perfect Queen-!"

He closed his eyes, listening to her voice fill his head.  Even when trampled by tears, her voice was melody of all he missed.

She looked up at him.  Her tears staining her cheeks.  "I am in a worse cage then ever before.  I fear the baby will be in a cage for the rest of her life!"

His heart couldn't help but be lifted as she said that.  He smiled at her, placing a gentle hand against her womb.  "She will live in the free air, and she will breath the sweet scent of life."

At that moment, there was no turning back for Éowyn.  She fell completely in love with Faramir, without any doubt in her mind, without any remorse, and without any feelings for Aragorn.  He could see the change in her face, the light in her eyes.  He knew he would love her forever.

And the baby moved.  A look of surprise came to her eyes, quickly turning into excitement.  His face was elated.

"I knew you could make her move!"  Éowyn said, laughter coming through the tears.

Faramir laughed as well, leaning his head down.  Their foreheads met, their eyes smiled.

"She is your daughter." Éowyn whispered to him.  Her hand clasped over his, still on her womb.

"This, I have known all along."  A voice came suddenly.  They looked at the direction of the voice.  Eowyn's body filled with fear.  The baby stopped moving.

Aragorn stood there, his hand on the hilt of Anduril.  He was not looking at Éowyn.  He couldn't even if he tried.  He only stared at Faramir, his eyes shining with anger.  Faramir tensed.  He had run over several possible scenarios for how his king would find the truth.  Nothing could have prepared him for the real thing.  Aragorn was standing there, silent as the grave, holding Anduril.  Faramir knew he could get to his sword quickly.  He would fight to the death for Éowyn.

"Éowyn, say something."  Aragorn almost pleaded.

"Am I to confess my quilt in having another man's child?  Be burned at the stake for my crime of treason?"  Her eyes stayed strong as her voice filled with tears. "Am I to apologize for being in love?"

Faramir moved so he was between her and Aragorn.

Aragorn seemed to find this amusing.  "Are you to fight me for Eowyn's honor?  You have already stolen it, wasted it."

Faramir looked at Aragorn.  Aragorn suddenly felt as though he were a blank open page.  Faramir was reading his very heart.  He hated it when Faramir did that.

"You are a good man, Aragorn.  Do not do this to yourself.  Do not do this to Éowyn.  To your son."  Faramir spoke in a low tone, words that went straight into Aragorn's heart.  He forced himself not to feel them.

"Not good enough for the Queen."

Éowyn almost laughed.  Faramir kept his gaze on Aragorn.  "No, just not the right one for Éowyn.  You are the King.  Your Queen no longer lives here."

Éowyn knew that Arwen would be brought into the argument.  She did not know it would be by Faramir.  She knew he was smart, but not to what level.  She marveled at her love.  Absolutely nothing past his mind that he couldn't understand and know.

Aragorn felt himself slipping.  He felt it low for Faramir to bring up Arwen.  "Éowyn and I were fine until you made her fall for you!"

"Éowyn has not been fine since the day she met you!  You were not meant to be with her!  You were born to be with a fair Elf Maiden who sailed to the West.  I know this Aragorn, just by looking into your heart!"

"Arwen is gone, and I can never have her!"  Aragorn almost wept at saying this.  This was the first time he had vocalized his defeat.  The first time he had truly mentioned the one woman he would always want.  "And now, I am King.  I have my Queen.  I am supposed to have her love as well."

"But, she doesn't love you!"  Faramir found the words coming out before he had time to understand them.  He felt as though his breath was being choked out of him.  He couldn't understand it.  Aragorn seemed to blur in front of him.  Aragorn stood there, about the break, shatter to the ground.  He had never felt so lost.

Faramir turned, realized where this loss was coming from.  Éowyn was backing away from both.  Her hand on her womb.  The eyes of two men were captured with fear.

"Faramir?"  She whispered.  He felt her intense pain.  He did not reach her before she fell.

***

Her mind was going in an out, weaving around her sorrows, around her pain.  She could not understand what was happening.  She was lying on a bed, in the Houses of Healing.  No one was in sight.  She wanted to scream for Faramir.  She could only gasp.  At the sound, both men came dashing into her room.

If it weren't for her intense pain, she would have laughed.

The pain was coming in waves.

"She is almost ready."  A voice said from somewhere.  Éowyn felt as though her head was floating.

She was about to give birth.  Nearly a month and a half early.  Her eyes widened in fear.  A cold cloth dampened her forehead, a warm hand took hers.

Another wave of pain flowed through her, stronger this time.  She gave a scream of pain, but it was mingled with another.  Crying.  That of a baby.  She blinked, trying to see her daughter.

"Faramir?"  She whispered.

She could feel his smile.  She could feel Aragorn's tears.

"She is beautiful, Éowyn.  Just like you."  She could barely hear him, but knew it was Faramir's voice.

She felt herself relax.  Her breath was not as strong, not as steady.  She was giving herself away now.

Silent tears fell from both men, as they watched her slip away.  The baby in Faramir's arms would grow to be of her mother's beauty, and her father's mind.

Éowyn felt comfort in her last thoughts, as she knew them to be true.

Beautiful.  Just like her.